Network Unavailable on Startup (iPod Touch)

Hi, it seems that if I restart my ipod touch with the Toodledo app already started, it will attempt to connect to the network before the ipod has had time to connect to my wifi network causing the error

"Network Unavailable"
Couldn't connect to Toodledo.com
Do you have an internet connection ?

The answer is, yes, if you would just wait a second before checking :)

on a related note, is there anyway to turn this message off? As an ipod touch user, I'm often out of wifi range when updating and don't need to know that there is no network. Simply wait until I'm next in range and then do an update.

The previous version did this silently and was much more user friendly.

You can avoid that message by turning off sync on startup. The message was added, I think, so people would know if their data did not sync. Another iPod user mentioned this recently, and unfortunately, we are the minority. You can always just use the sync button when you do have Wifi.

If you often don't have a network connection and you don't want to be bugged by the warning, just turn off automatic syncing. The warning is there so that people know if their tasks aren't being synced.

Well, I do want it to sync on startup when I've got a network connection. Apart from the message, the syncing works exactly as I want it to, I don't want to have to press a button to get it to sync. This was how it was working in the previous version, so I'm wondering what the need for the change was.

Also, the main point of my question was the fact that when I'm in network range, toodledo attempts to sync before the wifi has connected - a 2/3 sec delay would solve 95% of the times I get the message.

The message that appears on the screen is in the form of a question "Do you have an internet connection ?"

However, there is no way to answer it. There is only an OK button to press. Maybe, it was a "yes" so it attempts to sync again, or "no" so that automatic syncing was turned off, the question in the dialog box would make sense, otherwise it could do with being changed so that it was not a question.

Well, I do want it to sync on startup when I've got a network connection. Apart from the message, the syncing works exactly as I want it to, I don't want to have to press a button to get it to sync. This was how it was working in the previous version, so I'm wondering what the need for the change was.

Also, the main point of my question was the fact that when I'm in network range, toodledo attempts to sync before the wifi has connected - a 2/3 sec delay would solve 95% of the times I get the message.

I agree with Paul. If I recall in previous versions, sync would happen at startup and close of the application. If the network was not available a message would not appear.

If sync at startup is turned off and the app is opened, then after a connection is made (wifi) will a sync occur when the app is closed?

There are three types of syncing the iPhone app does. It can do a full sync on opening. It can do a full sync when you push the "Sync" button. It can sync individual changes and new tasks as you create/edit. Sync on closing was replaced by sync on edit several versions ago. The problem with sync on closing was that it was taking advantage of a little loophole where Apple would allow apps to run in the background for a few seconds after closing. However, it caused sync errors, particularly for people who had slow connections, or many changes to sync since the time allowed for the sync to happen was very limited.

Suggested enhancement. Add an option in the sync menu to show/hide the 'Network on available' message at startup. It could be on by default and those like myself, Paul and others can suppress the message if desired.

I use my iPod Touch many times during the day without access to a wifi connection. The message becomes a burden to click on each time I want to look at my list.

I would actually like that as well. I have an iPod, and though I am almost always on a Wifi network, I generally know when I am not, and don't need a notification. However, I think it may be an Apple requirement that apps provide that sort of message if a connection attempt is made and is unsuccessful. My reason for thinking that is that another app that I really like, GeneIndexAF had an update rejected due to the lack of such a notification: http://geneindex.keithching.com/2009/07/22/v11-resubmitted/
I am no expert of the SDK or Apple guidelines though, so maybe Toodledo can correct me if I am wrong.

Since people are expecting the app to sync at startup, we need to provide a warning if this was not possible for whatever reason, otherwise people might think that everything is in sync, when it isn't.

You may be constantly aware of your network situation, but many people are not as tech-savvy and appreciate the warning. Since it only takes 1 tap to make the warning go away, it shouldn't be too much of an inconvenience. If it is, you can switch to doing manual syncing.

I'm actually on the same aide as those wanting a less obtrusive way of getting a heads-up that the network is unavailable. I've seen very suitable ways of informing users that a sync was not possible because the network was unavailable and one very capable way of doing this can be found in the Appigo Notebook app. I switch fast between calendar, Toodledo, notes, password managers, etc and having to tap this button each time I reopen toodledo is pretty distracting. So, I could turn the sync on start off. So now I also have to remember that I have to manually sync my lists. Not very ideal in my eyes. I suggest a less obtrusive way of informing the user about this and why not also a setting that can hide it altogether when we're at it.

I'm actually on the same aide as those wanting a less obtrusive way of getting a heads-up that the network is unavailable. I've seen very suitable ways of informing users that a sync was not possible because the network was unavailable and one very capable way of doing this can be found in the Appigo Notebook app. I switch fast between calendar, Toodledo, notes, password managers, etc and having to tap this button each time I reopen toodledo is pretty distracting. So, I could turn the sync on start off. So now I also have to remember that I have to manually sync my lists. Not very ideal in my eyes. I suggest a less obtrusive way of informing the user about this and why not also a setting that can hide it altogether when we're at it.

I second this remark. Although it's "only" a single tap, it is still quite annoying. I agree that the user should be made aware of a failed sync, but there are better ways of informing, especially without requiring the user to react to the notification.

Appigo's Todo has a very clean approach, it shortly replaces the bottom menu bar with a notification that the sync failed. By sliding in this notification, attention is drawn to the movement and the user is informed.